We Love (Some of) Memphis.
That's the message I got after reading about recent developments from the Cooper-Young Neighborhood Watch. Earlier this year, the Cooper-Young Business Association partnered with the Shelby County District Attorney's office in its "anti-trespassing program." The program, which started from the DA's office to "discourage incidents of loitering and criminal trespass" in apartment complexes, has expanded to cover commercial properties and now has over a dozen businesses signed up in the Cooper-Young area.
For businesses who participate in the program, this means that the police are given authorization of agency. Authorization of agency would typically require businesses to fill out a form against specifically named persons outlining that they are not allowed on property or else they will be charged with criminal trespassing. This program throws all of that out the window. Without warning, people can be arrested for criminal trespassing on first offense. Anyone can use their judgment to deem someone of trespassing, and the police can make arrests with or without a complaint made. Does that sound familiar? Targeting a person because you think they might commit a crime. Anyone? What is profiling?